Girth.



No. 663,445. Patented Dem-ll, I960; W. KOOTZ.

G l B T H (Application filed Dec. 9, 1899-) -(No Model.)

III I UNETED Srarss PATENT WILLIAM KO OTZ, OF MILW'AUKEE, WISCONSIN.

GIRTH.

APECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,445, dated. December 1900- .Ztpplication filed December 9, 1899- serial No. 739,751. \No model.) i

To aZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Koorz, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Saddle-Girths, of which the following isa description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in saddle-girths, having particular reference to that form of saddle-girth in which the girth-band is provided at its ends with loops which are carried around and knotted to rings at the opposite ends of the band.

Saddle-girths of the above construction have been found in practice to be open to objection, in view of the fact that the loops are carried around the rings and contact therewith, and hence are subjected to considerable wear owing to the constant friction of the hard surface of the rings thereon, said wear frequently causing the loops of the girth-band to become broken.

It is the primary object of myinvention to provide a construction for reducing the wear on the loops to the minimum, and thereby increasing the lifetime of the band.

A further object contemplated is the provision of a construction in connection with the means for preventing wear adapted to obviate the danger of the loops slipping laterally ofif the wear-preventing device.

With the above objects in view the invention consists of the devices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view-of one of the rings, showing the protecting-covering employed in the Fig. 1 construction. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through one of the rings of the Fig. 1 form, the section being taken on a plane through the projecting ear of the covering. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the rings, showing a modified form of protecting-covering applied thereto. Fig. 5 is a detail View of one of the rings, showing a covering applied thereto of the most simple embodiment of my invention. Fig. 6

is a similar view to Fig. 5, but showing a modified form of construction for preventing slipping of the loops; and Fig. 7 is a transverse section through either Fig. 5 or Fig. 6.

The numeral 8 indicates strands of cord which form the girth-band by being extended back and forth from one end ring to the other. These end rings are indicated by the numerals 9 9 and are ordinarily of metal.

In the form of saddle-girths now on the market the strands of cord are looped directly around each end ring and in contact with the rings, and hence there is considerable friction between the loops and the metal rings. It is found by practical experience that this friction is sufficiently great to soon result in the wearing out of the loops, thereby very materially shortening the lifetime of the girth.

My invention resides in combining with the end rings and the loops of the girth-band a covering of suitable material, preferably of some soft, yielding, or flexible material, such as leather, one of said coverings being provided for each end ring. The loops (indicated by the numeral 10) are wrapped directly around this covering, and hence said covering prevents the loops from coming in contact with the rings 9. This protecting-covering throughout the drawings is indicated by the numeral 11 and preferably consists of a blank wrapped around each ring, with the longitudinal edges of the blank adjacen? and held together by the loops 10, which encircle the covering, as clearly shown in the drawings. If desired, of course, the longitudinal edges of the covering could be secured together, so as to form the covering into a complete tube. It is also obvious that, if preferred, the covering could extend entirely around the circumference of the ring; but this is not necessary, and hence by providing a covering of the length shown in the drawings a saving of material is effected, and at the same time the covering is of the proper length to prevent contact of the loops directly with the rings.

In the Figs. 1 to 3 form of construction I have shown means for preventing the loops from working or slipping 0d of the coverings, said means consisting in providing the adjacent edges of the covering at a desired point between the ends thereof with projecting ears 12 12, said ears having registering openings l3,through which a loop of the band is passed.

It will be readily seen that as these cars connect the loops directly to the covering any slippage of the loops will carry the cover therewith, and consequently the loops will be thereby prevented from working off of the covering onto the ring.

In Fig. 4 I show a construction wherein the projecting ears instead of being at an intermediate point are arranged, respectively, at the ends of the covering. The sets of ears in this modification of the invention are indicated by the numerals 12 12 and the openings thereof by the numerals 13.

While in both forms in which the ears are employed I have shown said ears in sets, yet

7 in the case of the Figs. 1 to 3 form of construction only a single ear projecting from an intermediate point of the covering could be provided, or in the case of the Fig. 4 form of construction a single ear at each end of the covering could be provided without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. The construction shown, however, is preferred, inasmuch as strength is'thereby subserved.

Fig. 5 illustrates the most simple form of my invention, wherein merely the covering 11 is provided, devoid of any means for preventing slippage of the loops.

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5, excepting that at the ends of the covering wires 14 14 are twisted about said covering. These wires tend to prevent slippage of the covering out of the loops and also form shoulders to prevent siippage of the loops oh. of the covering.

While I have herein shown and described the girth-band as being formed from strands of cord extended back and forth from one ring to the other and looped around the rings, yet it will be understood that myinvention is not confined to this particular form of girthband, inasmuch as it is equally applicable to a girth-band formed of a piece of material and provided with loops at its ends which are passed around the rings.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a girth, the combination of end rings, coverings of suitable material around said rings, and a girth-band having loops at opposite ends passing around the coverings,and attached to said coverings.

2. In a girth, the combination of end rings, coverings of suitable material around said rings, a girth-band having loops at its opposite ends passing aronnd the coverings, and means for preventing the loops from working ofl the coverings.

3. In a girth, the combination of end rings, coverings of suitable material around said rings, each covering provided with a projecting ear having an eye therethrough, and a girth-band having loops at its opposite ends passing around the coverings, one of said loops passing through the eye of each ear.

4. In a girth, the combination of end rings, protectingcoverings of suitable material around the rings, each covering provided with projecting ears, and each ear having an eye therethrough, and a girth-band having loops at opposite ends and-passing around the coverings, and the openings of the ears each having one of the loops passing therethrough.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM KOOTZ.

Witnesses EDWARD MOHRHENN, CHARLES KNOERNSCHILD. 

